


Gabriel vs early mornings

by dark_macadamia



Category: The Infernal Devices Series - Cassandra Clare, The Shadowhunter Chronicles - Cassandra Clare
Genre: Alternate Universe - Coffee Shops & Cafés, F/M, Gen, M/M, because i'm a sucker
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-12
Updated: 2020-05-12
Packaged: 2021-03-03 00:47:44
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,494
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24146113
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/dark_macadamia/pseuds/dark_macadamia
Summary: Gabriel and Will work at a coffee shop owned by Charlotte, Jem is a regular and Cecily and Sophie just turn up, surprisingly Tessa isn't in this although I like Tessa
Relationships: Cecily Herondale/Gabriel Lightwood, Jem Carstairs/Will Herondale, Sophie Collins/Gideon Lightwood
Comments: 4
Kudos: 35





	Gabriel vs early mornings

**Monday Morning, 6:59**

All was still and quiet as the flat's only occupant slept on peacefully. 

**Monday Morning 7 o'clock**

Gabriel swore as his alarm clock went off, warbling like a siren. The first minute of his wakefulness was spent in a red-tinted haze of befuddled fury as Gabriel tried to work out why he had chosen to wake himself so early. Unfortunately, he was still half asleep, so he decided Will must have set his alarm clock for 7 as a prank. He went back to sleep, setting his alarm clock for 8.

Monday Morning 8 o'clock

Gabriel got out of bed feeling much better, and ambled around the flat making breakfast and wondering why he had a vague sense that something was wrong. He was sitting at his kitchen counter eating toast, still in his pyjamas, when a reminder popped up on his phone.

Time to set out for 8:30 shift (now, dumbass, because it takes fifteen minutes to get there)

**Reminder: Monday, 8:15 am**

Gabriel swore, and finished getting ready in a record 5 minutes. He was wearing old clothes, and he hadn't brushed his hair or even put on matching socks, but it was just a shift at a coffee shop. It didn't matter what he was wearing.

He ran for the bus, and missed it, because London bus drivers take great pleasure from pulling away as soon as anyone running for the bus reaches it. He had to sprint to the coffee shop, and turned up ten minutes late to his shift, wheezing and sweating.

"In your own time, Lightworm," Will Herondale looked down at him with a gleeful expression as he doubled over, trying to catch his breath. Gabriel kicked him. Will staggered back with a wounded expression, clutching his chest, and Gabriel rolled his eyes as he put on an apron.

For the last year, Will and Gabriel had been friends, but before then they had been bitter enemies. (Gabriel still had plans to murder Will in his sleep.) Will had been there for Gabriel when his father died, crude songs and all, and despite his annoying tendencies to call Gabriel "Lightworm" or come up with terrible poetry on the spot and recite it to everyone, Gabriel did consider him a good friend. 

Charlotte came in from the back, looking harried as usual. "Will, have you seen- Gabriel! Ah, at last. Hello dear. Take your time, take your time."

Charlotte's genuine kindness induced guilt where Will's jabs did not, and despite Gabriel's affection for the woman, he sort of wished she had stayed in the back. He spent the next five minutes serving customers: anxious businesswomen who told him to hurry it up, students coming in to study and ordering bucketloads of coffee to help (up already? Gabriel thought), men in suits on calls, and that one random guy with a black beanie, white hair and pale skin, who came in every morning and always just flopped on the counter, head down, arms sprawled, taking occasional sips from his coffee. Will had been flirting with him for weeks, but Gabriel thought a boy who took his coffee with no milk was too hardcore for Will.

Sure enough, Will's crush walked in, but instead of having his earphones in like most mornings, they were dangling round his neck. Because talking to him were not one but two very attractive girls, laughing every so often, and gazing up at him adoringly. Gabriel turned round to see Will turning a shade of puce.

"Finally realised he's out of your league, Will?"

"That little- I'm going to kill her."

"Who?"

"My sister," Will said through gritted teeth. "The one on his right. She knows him? The hell? And she didn't introduce me?"

"Did she know you had a crush on anyone?" Gabriel asked sensibly.

"Well... no. But she is aware that I am a raging bisexual, and that introductions to hot males are not only appreciated, they are compulsory."

"Maybe she wanted to have a male friend without them being put off by your incessant flirting. In fact, that applies to both genders. She probably doesn't introduce you to half the attractive people she meets."

Will swore.

Will's crush came up to the counter with Will's sister, smiling a little, as the other girl kept their table. Getting a better look at Will's sister, Gabriel suddenly, fervently wished that he had put on nicer clothes. Or even that he had brushed his hair. Objectively, he knew she couldn't see his mismatched socks, but that didn't mean they didn't add to his embarrassment. 

Will stormed up to his sister, but she was standing slightly behind Will's crush, and motioned toward him slightly, silently indicating that if he made a scene with her, he would make a bad impression. Will scowled at her a bit, then turned his attention to his crush, trying to dazzle him with a radiant smile. It might have worked if the boy hadn't also seen the scowl, and as such, he laughed a little.

"Hi, what would you like to order?"

"Er, just my usual, thanks." Will nodded at Gabriel and he turned away to make the coffee. "Cecily?"

"Oh, she doesn't like coffee," Will interjected nastily. Cecily frowned at him. "Actually, can I have a latte, please, milk, no sugar."

"Sure," Gabriel said before Will could say no. Will gave him small kick. 

"Hold on, I'll just ask Sophie what she wants. You can let other people go in front." Will's crush went off back to his table.

Will launched himself at his sister, but Cecily got there first. "His name is Jem, and before you attack me, I only just met him. You remember Sophie, my friend from volunteering?"

Will squinted at the other girl. "Yeaahhh?" 

"So, no. Okay, she's friend of mine, and I was coming to visit you at your shift, and I saw her going in the same direction with that hottie, and it turns out he's a regular! I would have thought you would already have tried to ask him out."

"Well, I have been trying, but, you know, I've been subtle, very subtle, and I'm building up to it, okay?"

Cecily frowned. "That's not like you. Usually you just give people your number. What happened?"

"I-" Will stuttered, blushing. 

"He's shy." Gabriel interrupted bluntly. Will glared at him. Cecily gave a long, low whistle. "Shy? You must really-"

At that moment, Jem came back, and because Will had forced all the other customers to wait, he ordered straight away. He thanked Will, smiled, and walked away to the end of the counter to wait for the coffees.

Cecily stared at him. "Jesus, you really are shy. You just... let him walk off. Come on! Be proactive! You-" 

"And here is your coffee," Gabriel hastily intervened before any murders were committed. "Have a nice day!" 

Cecily, Jem and Sophie sat chatting at a table, and Will gazed after them mournfully, enraging the next customers as he barely registered their orders. Gabriel snapped a discreet picture of them to send to his brother, labelling the people and adding a mocking description of Will's incompetence at flirting with Jem.

At the end of their shift, Will and Gabriel set out for the bus stop together. They didn't live that close, but they got the same bus, so they usually travelled home together. On the journey, Will looked out of the window broodingly, and Gabriel nudged him.

"Come on. You'll get another opportunity tomorrow, and now you know his name! Besides, your sister will probably put in a good word for you."

Will sighed. "I hope so. Just-" he looked anxiously at Gabriel. "What if he's already with that Sophie person? And I've just been flirting with a taken guy the whole time? Or worse, what if he's not with her, but he's been politely ignoring my advances because he's not interested?"

Gabriel rolled his eyes. "Calm down, Romeo. Ask Cecily if he's with Sophie, so that's sorted out. And he might just not know if you're messing with him or not, so he hasn't responded to the flirting? Maybe he's shy too?"

Will looked at him doubtfully. "He's not shy. I heard Bach coming from those earphones, and he takes his coffee without milk. Not only is he sophisticated, he's badass. Sophisticated badasses aren't shy."

"Okay, okay, but just check if he's single or not. Then you know if you are actually allowed to flirt with him, and then we can think about what to do. Tomorrow- damn, is our shift at 8:30 again?"

Will nodded. "Yep. We changed it permanently, remember?"

Gabriel groaned. "Ack, alright. Tomorrow we'll plan what you should say to him. Has Cecily responded yet?"

"Hold on," Will checked his phone.

"Oh, this is my stop. Text me, yeah? We'll brainstorm." 

Will nodded. "Oh, and Gabriel?" 

Gabriel looked back. 

"Thanks," Will said, and Gabriel grinned. "Anytime."

**Author's Note:**

> Hope you enjoyed! Kudos and comments much appreciated


End file.
